The Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Regional Law Enforcement Academy (RLEA) graduated 41 peace officers, who have accepted positions at 17 different agencies throughout the 10-county region, making it the largest graduating class in at least the last decade. All passed their Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Licensing exam.
“You can tell these peace officers are ready to serve their communities as a helping hand and a trusted neighbor, not because they passed a test but rather because of the dedication and determination they have shown throughout the academy,” said David Bertling, CAPCOG RLEA director.
Having started CAPCOG’s Basic Peace Officer Course (BPOC) No. 102 on Dec. 2, 2024, the new peace officers completed nearly 1,100 hours of training and earned at least six additional specialization certificates beyond the 736 training hours required by TCOLE. CAPCOG BPOCs teach additional practicums to help prepare officers for working in Central Texas communities.
During their graduation ceremony on July 19, which was held at Reunion Ranch in Georgetown, Williamson County Sheriff Matthew Lindeman and Bertling addressed the graduates speaking about what it means to be a professional wearing a badge and how their lives will be forever changed because of the service they have decided to provide to their communities. Kyle Police Department provided the honor guard for the ceremony and Hays County Chaplin, William Glasgow, led the new officers and their attending family members in prayer. Bertling also recognized Hutto Police Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough for Hutto Police Department’s assistance in training the cadets. Peace officers Joseph Strazza and Adonay Mancias-Covarrubias were BPOC 102’s valedictorian and salutatorian respectively.
When BPOC No. 102 started all but 10 cadets were already hired by local agencies. By the end of the course, only three cadets had yet to be hired but they all are currently in the hiring process with different agencies.
The graduates included:
- Joseph Krawczyk (Class President) – Kyle Police Department
- Christopher Prejean (Class Vice President) – Independent
- Ethan Boni (Class Treasurer) -Marble Falls Police Department
- Joshua Clements (Class Sgt. at Arms) – Independent (Austin ISD Police Department)
- Andrew Anderson – Lakeway Police Department
- Zain Basravi – Independent (Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office)
- Francisco Bauer – San Marcos Police Department
- Corina Bienaime – Independent (Manor ISD Police Department)
- Adriana Bradley – San Marcos Police Department
- Jason Christilles- Austin Fire Department
- Natalie Coody – Texas State University Police Department
- Matthew Correa – Travis County Parks Police Department
- Steve Dakhil – Independent (Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office)
- Dillon DeLaFuente – Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
- Jeffrey Fox – Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office
- Christopher Frazier – Manor ISD Police Department
- Yanelli Gallegos – Bastrop Police Department
- Matthew Hambrick – San Marcos Police Department
- Stran Hunt – Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office
- Sydney Jordan – Pflugerville Police Department
- Carmen Kester – Austin Fire Department
- Bethany Lacasse – Texas State University Police Department
- Jordan Lyles – Independent
- Adonay Mancia-Covarrubias – Manor Police Department
- Akeem Martin – Travis County Parks Police Department
- Michael Mason – Manor ISD Police Department
- William McDonald – Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office
- John Myrick – Lakeway Police Department
- Mark Nutt – Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
- Fernando Ordonez – Kyle Police Department
- Armando Osornia – Kyle Police Department
- Viviana Pedroza – Independent
- Ariel Pinell – San Marcos Police Department
- Joshua Rangel – Independent (Bee Cave Police Department)
- Alexander Rodriguez – Kyle Police Department
- Juan (JR) Rodriguez – Bee Cave Police Department
- Stefan Rodriguez – Kyle Police Department
- Brandon Salcedo – Pflugerville Police Department
- Jorge Santos – Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office
- Jacob Sones – Kyle Police Department
- Joseph Strazza – Independent (Liberty Hill Police Department)
